Well we finally got official internet and maybe I can keep our blog updated.  Since we left the MTC we stayed in our home on Friday, September 19 and then started our journey.  We stopped and saw Dax and Temsha and Leto in Boise, the Tara, Taylor, and Tate in Meridian.  Everyone else was in school, it was sad to think we would not be in Boise again for almost 2 years.  We will miss everyone and also the ballgames, they are just fun to go to.  We made it as far as the Tri-city area and visited Sean, Brenda, A.J. and Harley.  Saturday morning we headed for Vancouver.  It was a pretty drive and met Elder & Sister Harding at the church and they showed us our apartment.  It is a nice place, we cant complain.  No outlets in the bathroom is probably our biggest problem, but I set up my sewing table for the makeup mirror and a power strip on the spare rooms dresser for curling irons.  We went to church on Sunday, Richmond 1st ward, and then attended a baptism.  It was a busy day with a High Priests meeting in the evening. 

Monday morning we started our training.  Elder and Sister Harding are the missionaries we are replacing and they are our trainers.  We spent the week learning our jobs and they have been so hospitable in showing us the area.  I hope I can figure out my responsibilities, Al has a Huge job with the finances and apartments. This coming week is Transfer week and also new missionaries from the MTC arrive, so this is the BIG time,  I guess if we make it through this week, we will be official, or maybe just tired.  We are getting use to the area, it does rain a lot here.  I mean it rains relentlessly.  We are snug in our apartment this Sunday afternoon and do have a minute to catch up on some things.  Our Ford Expedition is a big outfit here and is tight in parking lots, but Al seem to maneuver us around alright so far.  We learned that if you want a grocery cart you insert a quarter in to release them, and then if you snap it back into place when you are through you get you money back.  We looked pretty comical trying to figure that out.  Richmond is the main place the Chinese people emigrate to, and we are definitely the minority.  We have Chinese speaking Sisters and Elders, also Spanish, and Korean.  I order all materials for the missionaries, so I have a few languages to deal with.  Kind of interesting.  Well don't want to bore you all, we are here, we are learning, and hopefully will become productive this week.  We miss home and love you all.

Well we finished our training at the MTC and we are at home for one night on our way to Canada.  I can't express my feelings about the spirit at the MTC, it was wonderful to experience on almost an hourly basis.  You see miracles each day as you learn about people's experience in receiving their calls, and as you watch the young Elders and Sisters.  The Lord is truly with his missionaries and it is wonderful to be a part of that.  It has been hard to come home and then say goodbye again, I think we had mentally moved to our  mission and it has been hard to come home to reality.  I hope it will be alright when we get going again.  It is with mixed emotions that we depart, leaving family and friends.  You ask yourself how you are going to do that, but the Lord really does take over and send you on your way.  I will sorely miss everyone and our comfortable surroundings, but I know we will really grow and progress.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

We are in computer class learning all the office procedures.  I must say there is a lot to working the office.  I had no idea.  I hope I can remember all the procedures and not mess things up too much.  It is a bit overwhelming, Al is doing great with his financial problems.  I messed up the letter template pretty good, and the transfer board is very, very intimidating.  Wow.  Like moving quilt blocks to different areas, then it changes the look and creates new problems, just like moving missionaries to new areas.  Then the housing changes, the phone, the transportation, all kinds of stuff.  Then what language do they speak.  I think we will get it, but glad that is the mission presidents responsibility, above my head. haha

We got to walk down to the Marriott center for a devotional.  It was amazing.  To hear them all sing the songs was such a testimony builder, what a sound.  Wish I could record it for all to hear, I guess you just had to be there.  We then walked back to the MTC,  Al and I were about in the middle of this long column of Elders and Sister.  The Elders behind us starting singing "The Army of Helaman" and it was as if we were there.  We had about 2,300 of us and you just imagined Helaman and the Warriors.  That is what we all are I guess is Warriors for the Gospel.  It was such a feeling and experience, I shall never forget.  The church is true and this is the restored gospel, I know that to be true.  I always want to be a part of Helaman's army.

A new post button popped up so I had to try it.  I am going to master this yet.

We are in computer class at the MTC, and Sister Fairbanks just helped me remember how to add a post.  It has been awesome at the MTC.  Last week we learned how to teach from Preach My Gospel.  It was absolutely awesome, the spirit was always there.  We really learned a lot and hopefully we will get better on the scriptures, of course Al is great.  I have got to remember those scriptures that are needed to teach.  We are learning the church's computer system to run a mission.  Hopefully we can not mess up the mission office too bad.  We will report to our mission home on the 23rd of September.  So when we get our computer all set up and internet available in our modest apartment, I shall begin to be a better blogger.  We are loving it.